Jump to content

Huddersfield 1-1 Saints - Match Thread


Yorkshire Saint
 Share

Recommended Posts

Terrible 2nd half. 

 

Edozie was dreadful, both in attack and defence. Manning was OK until that attempted pass at the end.

Flukey equaliser,  but they could have buried one or both of those free headers. 

Big thing in the 2nd half was Bednarek screaming Smallbone and Downes for passing the ball to him when they had room to turn and start an attack instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, OttawaSaint said:

Why? Is that a good name or something? I wouldn't care if his name was Princess Spiderman Spunk-knuckles III if he got us playing entertaining and successful football.

Course you wouldn't...

3rd, 9 unbeaten, 6 of them wins. Good teams drop points against lesser teams. It happens. Leeds are 2 (TWO) points ahead of us and their manager is doing an incredible job and can do no wrong in their fans eyes.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
  • Confused 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, trousers said:

Given Stewart and Adam Armstrong played the last c.15 minutes together, one assumes that's an indication that RM is considering starting both of them in a game sometime soon...?

Maybe we ought to practice long ball skills for use in the last 10 mins of games: 

Downes/Smallbone to dink it forward to Stewart, who knocks it down Pelle style for Arma or Stu to smash into the back of the net...

🍆 > 🦕 >🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 easy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Bad Wolf said:

Course you wouldn't...

3rd, 9 unbeaten, 6 of them wins. Good teams drop points against lesser teams. It happens. Leeds are 2 (TWO) points ahead of us and their manager is doing an incredible job and can do no wrong in their fans eyes.

I couldn't give a flying fuck about Leeds. Most of our wins are spawny late winners. Can't keep it up hence the crappy draws and losses. 

  • Like 5
  • Confused 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Failing to win after having 78% possession in an away fixture tells you that there is little purpose in our game.  Even if we make the playoffs (no chance we are catching the top two) I'm not sure our 'safety first' football would see us promoted.  Two points chucked away because we don't have the balls to really squeeze teams, and when they squeeze us, we capitulate. 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first half possession is all well and good but the goal came from a first time cross from S.Armstrong  turned in by A.Armstrong. The first half possession was too slow as Huddersfield backed off and defended. The second half we gave the ball away too often and allowed Huddersfield to press and hit crosses, With better finishing they would have won by a mile. Backing off is all well and good but it doesn't work for us especially as we gave away too many free kicks in dangerous areas.

Having Manning and Edozie on the same side is a defensive clusterfuck. Bringing Charles on and taking S.Armstrong off at the same time as Bree was crass as none of the midfielders covered the left side and Manning isn't a defender. The goal was undefended. It was a floated cross that Bednarek couldn't reach but blocked Bazunu's sight of the ball. Personally I think that goal wouldn't have happened if the left side had been left. I thought that Stewart should have come on earlier and Fraser and Armstrong played wide. After Sulemana's booking it was sensible to replace him but with Stewart.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Two home wins next Wednesday and Saturday and this result won't seem so bad.

Easier said than done. They look two tricky games and it would not surprise me if both end up as draws. We are still less than convincing despite an unbeaten spell. I think we are overdue a few top-drawer performances to get the fans off their seats but I won't hold my breath. 

Edited by saintant
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other teams are always going to have good spells and it should never be a surprise, our problem is in our best patches we don’t score enough. We start passing negative and not hurting the opposition, they then start to believe and start to fight back and we fall apart. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, derry said:

The first half possession is all well and good but the goal came from a first time cross from S.Armstrong  turned in by A.Armstrong. The first half possession was too slow as Huddersfield backed off and defended. The second half we gave the ball away too often and allowed Huddersfield to press and hit crosses, With better finishing they would have won by a mile. Backing off is all well and good but it doesn't work for us especially as we gave away too many free kicks in dangerous areas.

Having Manning and Edozie on the same side is a defensive clusterfuck. Bringing Charles on and taking S.Armstrong off at the same time as Bree was crass as none of the midfielders covered the left side and Manning isn't a defender. The goal was undefended. It was a floated cross that Bednarek couldn't reach but blocked Bazunu's sight of the ball. Personally I think that goal wouldn't have happened if the left side had been left. I thought that Stewart should have come on earlier and Fraser and Armstrong played wide. After Sulemana's booking it was sensible to replace him but with Stewart.

Swapping Sulemana for Edozie wouldn't have been the end of the world. But like you say, we just cannot rely on Edozie & Manning to close out a tight game. Manning just isn't a Left Back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Jimmy_D changed the title to Huddersfield 1-1 Saints - Saturday 25th 3pm

Fraser didnt do much, midfield didnt create much, sulemana only works if he has space to work in and every now and again I'd like someone to launch a howitzer from the edge of the box.

Also what was with the shots today, lots of crap and weak ones, KWP was stifled as well which stopped balls in from the byline.

Overall disappointing, should of won v huddersfield but then again should of lost or drawn others we've won.

Would like Charles and Alcarez involved along with Stewart next game, wonder who you drop though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Baz Fl said:

Other teams are always going to have good spells and it should never be a surprise, our problem is in our best patches we don’t score enough. We start passing negative and not hurting the opposition, they then start to believe and start to fight back and we fall apart. 

This is true. However, in this game, Huddersfield’s good spell lasted for pretty much all of the second half. Up to half time is was a very controlled performance, then the second half was completely night and day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, redkeith said:

Terrible 2nd half. 

 

Edozie was dreadful, both in attack and defence. Manning was OK until that attempted pass at the end.

Flukey equaliser,  but they could have buried one or both of those free headers. 

Big thing in the 2nd half was Bednarek screaming Smallbone and Downes for passing the ball to him when they had room to turn and start an attack instead.

Agree, Edozie is a nothing player, offers no defensive cover, we had a couple of opportunities to hit them on the break but choose not to, that's down to Martin. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Course you wouldn't...

3rd, 9 unbeaten, 6 of them wins. Good teams drop points against lesser teams. It happens. Leeds are 2 (TWO) points ahead of us and their manager is doing an incredible job and can do no wrong in their fans eyes.

You might want to look at Leeds fans on Twitter, sweetheart.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, Mr X said:

This game.prooves why we won't be going up at our first attempt we are a project it's going to.take at least a couple of years 

I don’t think Russell Martin will get that long. Didn’t Jason Wilcox clearly state that promotion is a must this season? Good luck with that.

We won’t be promoted for some time. 

When you can’t do the basics against weak sides you get published.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I don’t think Russell Martin will get that long. Didn’t Jason Wilcox clearly state that promotion is a must this season? Good luck with that.

We won’t be promoted for some time. 

When you can’t do the basics against weak sides you get published.

I'm not sure any of this is true so that's impressive.

 

Anyway, we aren't going to win every game and when we don't win it's going to be because we didn't do enough with the possession which is far easier to take than the days of being given the complete run around. Onto the next one. A good day for the people who are desperate to say "I told you so", they haven't had many recently.

Edited by Fabrice29
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, JRM said:

We had a couple of opportunities to hit them on the break but choose not to, that's down to Martin. 

 

11 minutes ago, Vancouver Saint said:

Still think we will get nowhere without mixing our walking keep-ball with some fast incision and route-one (that includes defensive clearances instead of passing it out from the six-yard box!)

This and this.

A few times they had players over-committed in our half and we had the chance to play a first time ball forward, but you could almost see the restraint on the player's faces as they remembered their instructions and just passed it around at the back instead.

It's infuriating and boring to watch.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

A few times they had players over-committed in our half and we had the chance to play a first time ball forward, but you could almost see the restraint on the player's faces as they remembered their instructions and just passed it around at the back instead.

It's infuriating and boring to watch.

Even Franny on commentary sounded frustrated by it; he rarely has too much negative to say but he made reference to it a few times and how ponderous we were.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, The Kraken said:

Even Franny on commentary sounded frustrated by it; he rarely has too much negative to say but he made reference to it a few times and how ponderous we were.

Yeah, we weren't very good. Everyone agrees. Manager, players, fans, pundits. It's hardly ground-breaking insight. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Course you wouldn't...

3rd, 9 unbeaten, 6 of them wins. Good teams drop points against lesser teams. It happens. Leeds are 2 (TWO) points ahead of us and their manager is doing an incredible job and can do no wrong in their fans eyes.

1 (ONE) point says MLT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Russ Martin confirming what we all knew.

Speaking after the match, Martin said: "I thought we were really brilliant in the first half and should have scored more goals but the difference in the second half was too big.

"We have a bit of a problem at 1-0 up, at the minute. Everything we spoke about in the break, the opposite happened really. 

"We wanted to be relentless with energy and move the ball quickly to make them work but there was nowhere near enough energy or intensity. 

"We gave them more and more belief as the game wore on and we got a bit looser. We looked a bit more tired, which is interesting," he continued.

"Maybe it's due to having a lot of players go away on international duty and maybe we need to look into that but there are no excuses, we should win the game. 

"The goal was coming. I am frustrated as it's an opportunity missed, and it's always hard away from home in the Championship, but the game was there for us."

"We had some really good moves and their keeper has made some good saves but we allowed the atmosphere to shift and we became less brave."

Asked what was said at half-time, Martin responded: "We made some tactical tweaks to have some more joy but we didn't do them.

"It was just about trying to be relentless but we forced it too many times. We didn't need to force anything today. The game was coming to us when we moved it relentlessly.

"It's really similar to the Rotherham game so maybe the players felt this is nice, this is easy - but it is never easy.

"After a 15-minute break, the players can come out with a bit more energy so our mentality has cost us two points. 

"I have told the players that as I'm really angry about it and we need to make sure we are better than that on Wednesday."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Russ Martin confirming what we all knew.

Speaking after the match, Martin said: "I thought we were really brilliant in the first half and should have scored more goals but the difference in the second half was too big.

"We have a bit of a problem at 1-0 up, at the minute. Everything we spoke about in the break, the opposite happened really. 

"We wanted to be relentless with energy and move the ball quickly to make them work but there was nowhere near enough energy or intensity. 

"We gave them more and more belief as the game wore on and we got a bit looser. We looked a bit more tired, which is interesting," he continued.

"Maybe it's due to having a lot of players go away on international duty and maybe we need to look into that but there are no excuses, we should win the game. 

"The goal was coming. I am frustrated as it's an opportunity missed, and it's always hard away from home in the Championship, but the game was there for us."

"We had some really good moves and their keeper has made some good saves but we allowed the atmosphere to shift and we became less brave."

Asked what was said at half-time, Martin responded: "We made some tactical tweaks to have some more joy but we didn't do them.

"It was just about trying to be relentless but we forced it too many times. We didn't need to force anything today. The game was coming to us when we moved it relentlessly.

"It's really similar to the Rotherham game so maybe the players felt this is nice, this is easy - but it is never easy.

"After a 15-minute break, the players can come out with a bit more energy so our mentality has cost us two points. 

"I have told the players that as I'm really angry about it and we need to make sure we are better than that on Wednesday."

Given he knows the players are susceptible to complacency at the start of the 2nd half in games like this, why is he seemingly incapable of a half time team talk that wards off this player behaviour...?

Either the players are as thick as mince or Martin isn't able to get his message across properly...

Edited by trousers
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

Given he knows the players are susceptible to complacency at the start of the 2nd half in games like this, why is he seemingly incapable of a half time team talk that wards off this player behaviour...?

It does beg that question for sure. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Martin's half time team talks must be rubbish. We are invariably much worse coming out for the second half. Perhaps that wonderful, supportive envoronment of development isn't what's required for a short, sharp assessment and series of demands at half time. Perhaps hiring in someone from the military to get them into shape for that second half? 🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Lighthouse changed the title to Huddersfield 1-1 Saints - Match Thread
  • Lighthouse unpinned this topic

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...